Oxycontin, generically known as oxycodone, was approved by the FDA for medical use in 1995. The drug manufacturers’ assurances that it was not particularly addictive meant physicians prescribed it readily for their patients. Many traced the current opioid epidemic to when doctors often wrote prescriptions for synthetic opioids for pain. Prescription medication treatment centers treat…
The opioid crisis is alive and well. Whether prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl, or other opioids, these drugs are dangerous and cost lives. Fentanyl is one of the most potent opioids. 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, fentanyl is synthetic, meaning it is created in a lab. In addition, drug manufacturers often lace other…
Choosing an opioid treatment center for yourself or someone you love can be a daunting task. The rise of the opioid epidemic and the increase in substance abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in an influx of new, self-proclaimed opioid rehab centers whose marketing claims are less than trustworthy. Sorting through the hype to…
Inpatient rehab for opiate addiction is the highest level of care available for addiction treatment. It starts with medically monitored detox and continues with a full range of integrated mental health services. At intake, a clinical staff conducts a complete history that includes medical and mental health, drug use, and other personal factors that help…
How do you decide what kind of addiction treatment is best for you? Practical considerations such as cost, insurance coverage, and location are key. However, the choice between inpatient and outpatient may be the most important. In some cases, there is no decision to be made. For people with life-threatening illnesses or infections or who…
If you suspect that you or a loved one is addicted to an opioid, like prescription narcotics, or opiate, like heroin or morphine, it’s the right time to look into treatment. If you feel suspicious and worry about your drug use, you have already entered the stage of recovery called “contemplation.” You are no longer…
What is an opioid? It is a synthetic or partly synthetic substance, meaning it was created in a lab. It acts on the human body the way an opiate does. However, opiates come from the naturally occurring poppy plant, but the makeup of opiates and opioids are very similar. Common opioids include Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin…
Opioid overdoses have doubled in the United States during the pandemic. People in isolation and struggling with job insecurity, loss of loved ones, and fear of illness are relapsing or doubling their substance use as a coping mechanism. Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge (PAATC) is here to help anyone who is ready to take the…
Percocet is a narcotic analgesic that doctors commonly prescribe to treat acute pain and moderate to severe chronic pain. This medication is a combination of oxycodone, which is a derivative of opium, and acetaminophen, a non-narcotic analgesic. However, it is also highly addictive. During the pandemic, there has been a rise in substance misuse and…
Opioid addiction rates have risen since the late 1990s when reassurances that patients could not become addicted to prescription opioid painkillers turned out to be dangerously false. Today, there are over 100 deaths a day in the US due to opioid overdoses. The national crisis involves prescription drugs as well as illegal opioids like heroin.…